How we make controlled parking zones

What a controlled parking zone is

Areas where on-street parking is restricted are called controlled parking zones (CPZ) or are sometimes known as residents' parking schemes.

There's a timetable of areas which has been agreed by the Transport and Sustainability (TS) committee.

It covers areas which have petitioned or shown strong support for a new CPZ or a change to an existing CPZ.

Request a controlled parking zone

If you'd like to tell us about the strength of feeling for a CPZ in your area, submit a petition to your ward councillors and ask for it to be presented at a future TS committee.

Find out how to submit a petition.

The TS committee will consider it in a future report when the next parking scheme timetable is considered.

Find the proposed resident parking scheme priority programme.

Read the full Parking Scheme Priority timetable report from 16 November 2021.

Find out more about existing Controlled Parking Zones.

How we make controlled parking zones

Send out initial consultation

We send out an initial consultation to addresses within the proposed area. This lets us see whether there's general support for a scheme and if so, what type. 

Either a full scheme, which is in place from 9am to 8pm and has a mix of:

• permit holder bays
• shared - permit and paid bays - pay and display or PayByPhone
• possibly exclusive paid bays - pay and display or PayByPhone

Or a light touch scheme, which is usually restricted to permit holder only bays. These are in force for 2 one-hour timeslots during the day. This is usually one in the morning and one in the afternoon or evening.

There will also be provision for blue badge parking, motorcycles and other specific bays as requested.

Present initial results to the committee

Then we present the initial consultation results to the TS committee. The committee will decide on the next step.

Consult on detailed design

If the committee's decision is to go ahead with the new CPZ, we consult the area on a detailed design for the scheme.

This will show a plan of the:

• approximate location of the different bay types
• days and times the CPZ will be in operation

Present detailed designed results to the committee

We present the results of the detailed design consultation to the committee. Based on this, it decides whether the CPZ should go ahead.

Create a Traffic Regulation Order for comments

The final part is the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) stage. A TRO is a legal document which makes parking restrictions legally enforceable. 

People can submit objections or comments in support of the TRO.

Present comments on Traffic Regulation Order to the committee

We present these comments to the committee for final approval. If the committee approves, we put the new scheme in place.

Put the scheme in place

To put the scheme in place, we:

• paint the road markings and install the road signs
• send addresses in the area details of how to purchase permits

Changes to existing controlled parking zones

Making changes to an existing CPZ follows a similar process but may only need one round of consultation, depending on what changes have been asked for.

Changes to parking restrictions

You can request a parking restriction, like new parking bays or yellow lines. If it's approved, we follow the Traffic Regulation Order process.

Find our current Traffic Regulation Orders. Find other TROs in the Traffic Penalty Tribunal TRO library.